This comprehensive volume is the most important work to come out on gender and archaeology for over a decade. The diversity of themes covered is extremely impressive and reflects the extent to which research on gender and archaeology has evolved since the earlier works in the field were published. Researchers and student alike will find in this book a fascinating insight into the research being undertaken out in different regions and on the interest in gender issues, both past and present.
Stephanie Moser, University of Southampton Sarah Milledge Nelson is a prominent scholar whose influence both on and within this developing field has been substantial. In this weighty volume (in ideas as well as pages), Nelson and her colleagues focus on issues, approaches, and ideas relating to gender, with feminist theory and practice residing more in the background.
Canadian Journal of Archaeology
A concise and readable overview of the history and importance of gender as both subject and professional issue within archaeology. Summing up: Recommended.
CHOICE
"Handbook of Gender Archaeology is a brilliant addition to the archaeological literature. Its editor, Sarah Nelson, commissioned an international group of leading scholars to assess the present state of gender research in their areas of expertise. The result is a treasure trove of twenty-five original essays devoted to theoretical assessments and case studies involving themes that are central to archaeology, such as early domestication, the secondary products revolution, gender identities, landscape studies, mortuary analyses, and much, much more. Individual chapters go beyond review by introducing new perspectives and future directions for research, thus providing readers with models for developing their own projects. The book is indispensable reading for anyone with serious interests in the organization of society, divisions of labor, and the social dynamics of the human past."
Rita Wright, New York University